by Randall Fairey
In the long periods between meetings of CoGS I find myself searching a bit for items of timely interest for my readers. The next meeting of the Council is in early May; however, because of deadlines, it is likely I will not be able to offer my Kootenay perspective until the September issue of The Highway. I would invite you to search the national Website www.Anglican.ca and the Anglican Journal, as soon as possible after May 10th.
The January Anglican Journal published a lead Letter to the Editor from an obviously disaffected Anglican in Winnipeg. The writer was angry and highly critical of the leadership of the Anglican Church of Canada, including CoGS. Although I found the content quite insulting and for the most part both sexist and silly, there was one note of fair comment. That note concerned the use of abbreviations and jargon in the operations and organizations of the National Church, and the potential for alienating "good" Anglicans who may find them confusing.
I commend the web page http://www2anglican.ca/search/faq/034.htm if you have Internet access. The National Church entitles this "Abbreviations, Acronyms, Initialisms and Jargon." It states: "Churches, like other communities and organizations, tend to use many acronyms, initialisms and abbreviations. These written shortcuts can make it difficult to easily read a document or participate in a discussion. They may also be perceived as unwelcoming or insensitive to individuals who are 'not in the know.' Acronyms are popular because they save time … and (understandably) will never be absent from our communications." The page goes on to define many of these terms.
I think the writer made a reasonable point and I confess to have needed a learning curve when I was elected as a General Synod and Council delegate. Indeed delegates receive a list of such abbreviations and ecclesiastical nomenclature in their orientation package. But to blame personal disaffection with the Anglican Church on the use of abbreviations by a mindless national church bureaucracy is intellectually lazy and dishonest.
Doubtless the writer would not have criticized the acronym "CBC" for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation because he would be familiar with that term and appreciate its shorthand use. Similarly the National Church needs to employ such terms as it communicates its work, particularly to our Dioceses.
For me the real issue here is not that "good Anglicans" (as he describes men he knows in his Parish and Diocese), are defined only by simply attending a parish for services. Rather I believe it is one responsibility of faithful Anglicans to become informed about the organization of our dioceses, and the national, and international church. It is not a matter of "we" or "them," for each Anglican in Canada is not only an integral part of a congregation in a Parish, but also of a Diocese, and of a national Province (the Anglican Church of Canada). These acronyms are therefore directly relevant to each of us, and our lives as informed and faithful Canadian Anglicans.
Some ways to do this include; (1) thinking bigger than one’s Parish; (2) educating oneself by reading articles, Church journals, and commentaries on the web — admittedly it does mean doing some work (3) treating our diocesan and national leaders as our neighbours — they are working often at great personal sacrifice, for our benefit and the Glory of God; and (4) cutting the Church some slack recognizing our organizations have to communicate in an efficient and meaningful way.
Finally, please pray for the Anglican Church of Canada; we are part of Christ's Universal Church. We are also human and will make errors as we organize and communicate among our fellow Christians. But we do so without intending mistakes, always seeking to first honour God, and working to further His Kingdom.
